Johnny Mack Brown was a movie actor and he appeared in minor roles until 1930 when he was cast as the star in a Western entitled Billy the Kid (directed by King Vidor). An early widescreen film, the movie also features Wallace Beery as Pat Garrett. Brown was billed over Beery, who would become the studio's highest paid actor. Also in 1930, Brown played Joan Crawford's love interest in Montana Moon. Brown went on to make several more top-flight movies under the name John Mack Brown.